CareFlight General Manager of Operations Brian Guthrie said that the organisation’s decision to commence operations out of the Queensland capital was already benefitting the wider community.

“In only a matter of months, we’re seeing the justification for operating out of a Brisbane Base,” said Mr Guthrie.

“Working with key partners, CareFlight identified a need for an enhanced service in the Brisbane-Gold Coast corridor and that is what you are now seeing with the addition of this aircraft.”

“The Sunshine Coast and Toowoomba helicopters have traditionally been the busiest aircraft in our fleet; the addition of our Brisbane helicopter means we can share the load more effectively between bases, and reach more patients each week.

This is the fastest that CareFlight has notched up 500 missions, and with the new bases in Mount Isa and Brisbane coming online we anticipate that the number of missions we perform each year will continue to climb.”

Notable missions so far:

- 1 July 2015. The Brisbane RACQ CareFlight Rescue helicopter transported an elderly man from Goondiwindi Hospital to Brisbane’s Prince Charles Hospital for treatment for a medical condition. This was the Brisbane helicopter’s first ever mission – and the first for CareFlight crews this financial year.

- 26 July 2015. The Sunshine Coast crew winched two “King of the Mountain” competitors from Mount Cooroora. Both men were taken to Nambour Hospital with significant lower leg injuries.

- 12 August 2014. The Brisbane-based helicopter transported an infant from Toowoomba Hospital to the Lady Cilento Children’s Hospital after she was run over by a ride-on mower.

- 16 September 2014. The Toowoomba RACQ CareFlight Rescue helicopter attended to an 11-year-old boy who had seriously injured himself after falling from a tree. He was flown to the Lady Cilento Children’s Hospital.